


The Imperfect Perfect Girl

by fluffybun



Category: Liar! Uncover the Truth (Visual Novel), ダウト～嘘つきオトコは誰？～ | Doubt ~Usotsuki Otoko wa Dare?~ | Liar! Uncover the Truth (Visual Novel)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Meta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 09:57:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13051680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fluffybun/pseuds/fluffybun
Summary: The novelist Kagami Kazumi and writing the object of his desire, fictional.





	The Imperfect Perfect Girl

**Author's Note:**

  * For [echoslam](https://archiveofourown.org/users/echoslam/gifts).



> Happy Holidays, echoslammin! Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Spoilers for the entirety of Liar - Uncover the Truth.
> 
> Some parts paraphrased from Liar - Uncover the Truth.

June 2016

 

"Your serial will start in three weeks," Kotoko said to Kazumi one day, while they were in his study. "The magazine wants to show a preview next week. Have you started writing it?"

 

"I've many ideas, but none are sticking" he admitted. 

 

Kotoko nodded wearily, having heard this before many times. "How about trying to write something different this time?"

 

Kazumi's eyebrows rose. "Different? In what way?"

 

"How about a challenge? What if you write a story that directly appeals to women? A female protagonist, since your last three novels had male protagonists?"

 

A female protagonist, mystery, appeal to women. Certainly something to think about. "I can't promise anything, but I'll see what I can think of."

 

"That's fine, but don't run off again without telling me!"

 

"I won't!" He smiled brightly at her and true to form, she stared warily back at him.

 

"I mean it, Kazumi!"

 

***

  
He'd never needed to worry about his works finding an audience, but thinking of a plot to specifically appeal to women-

 

What kind of topic would interest them but still be a mystery, like the genre he was famous for and liked writing for best?

 

What were the concerns for women in Kotoko's age bracket?

 

Matchmaking parties are on the rise, but what are the results?

 

The headline jumped out at him and he clicked on it.

 

_Lately, women and men are eschewing arranging omiai for gathering at parties specifically set up for matchmaking. Many of these are set with requirements, for example screening participants based on income, age, etc. From there, they can choose to exchange information with people they're interested in and continue to get to know them on their own time..._

 

_However, many participants have been reported to complain that while the candidates are said to look good on the surface, many secrets lurk beneath..._

 

_"He was the perfect man and I'd accepted his offer of marriage, but in the end he was a liar!"_

 

_"I didn't want to feel doubt but when I found out his debts, I broke it off!"_

 

_"She married me then ran off with my money!"_

 

Marriage and love was off the table for him, he'd decided that many years ago when he'd found out the truth of his illness. He'd loved, yes, but all the women that'd meant anything special to him had dreams of marriage, of growing old together and he couldn't promise that. Better to not have attachments when they couldn't last...

 

It was easier to just flirt, act mysterious, and just stay casual. No matter how lonely he felt, it was better to suffer alone that let someone in, then leave them behind...

 

It's still hard for people trying to find love, Kazumi reflected as he reread the article again. But then, matchmaking parties...

 

Maybe it's time for him to do some personal research.

 

***

 

"I love all your books! I wish I had known that you'd be at this party, can I get your autograph?"

 

"Of course," he said automatically, his hand already reaching for the paper she was offering to him. 

 

He enjoyed the attention the women at the matchmaking party were giving him, but he was only here for research. There was no point in leading anyone on, especially when he'd decided not to marry.

 

The other men looked at him enviously as women kept giving him their cards. Their jealous comments followed him every party he went to.

 

"It's Kagami Kazumi, what does he need to be here for?"

 

"A guy like him getting all the girls-"

 

"Can't blame them, he's rich and famous, but damn, why does he have to be here?!"

 

He sighed. His own issue no one would want, if they knew.

 

_Everyone's putting on their best face, hiding their flaws. It's part of being human, but..._

 

He started listening to how other people interacted.

 

"You got lucky, huh? She was hanging on to you!"

 

"Yeah, she's rich too."

 

"Damn, introduce me to her. I need the money."

 

"Sorry, she wasn't in to you."

 

Kazumi kept on listening, gathering data, before finally leaving - fragments of ideas starting to form in his mind.

 

***

 

The unlucky woman, he wrote. All the guys she meets are perfect on the surface but hiding secrets that make them unmarriageable...

 

_I'm sick of always choosing scumbags! It's time to find the right person to spend my life with, to live my dream with. I can't believe I'm actually going to a matchmaking party, but I've never tried it before..._

 

He mentally ran down the list of characters he would make his main character meet. Famous athlete with boyish appeal and charisma, cool and collected businessman, government official at the prime of his career, aloof doctor - no, surgeon, baker... varied careers and personalities that would appeal to different women.

 

He paused, there were nine men. Eight liars, one Mr. Right.

 

He smiled, then decided to add one more character.

 

Hazumi, famous writer, flirty, older...

 

No, let's try and make it a little less obvious. Reporter? Blogger? 

 

Then let's flesh out the main character. Beautiful, smart, successful - everything a career woman wants to be. But no, let's add flaws, he reminded. A secret slob at home, relaxing in tracksuits when no one's looking and living on take-out - a kidney-bean colored tracksuit, he decided, a very unromantic color. Maybe a soft side - fond of an anime character, maybe? 

 

What's the most ridiculous kind of character that could be cute? Maybe an animal... and food... 

 

***

 

_Kagami Kazumi's new serialization! A mystery from the writer of Death Spiral, serialized - new chapters weekly! The sensational new story titled Liar!_

 

_Feel free to write in and guess who is the liar and win prizes every month!_

 

"The magazine's going all out with this," Kotoko reported one day. "They've even hired an artist to make official art of the main character and the ten men, you know."

 

"Really?"

 

"Yes. They've also increased print runs, well, that's a given since it's your work, but they told me they're anticipating even more buyers because of the response to the preview."

 

"...that's interesting," he said. "Is the art already available?"

 

"Of course, I brought it for you."

 

He smiled as he looked the art over. His main character, beautiful and sassy and her ten men, nine of which were liars. Interestingly, the one character based on him looked quite different, but the one he looked most like was Kunio.  _Well, both of our characters are older than the rest of the cast..._ He just hoped that didn't mean that people would think he based Kunio on him instead.

 

***

 

August 2016

 

"Little Miss Detective," as he liked to call his main character, was becoming so real to him with every word that he wrote. She wasn't at all like any woman he'd ever met, smart and sassy and wanting romance but not letting herself forget reality. Running away from stable guys with other issues, willing to confront guys after snooping decisively for clues to unravel their lies- There hadn't been anything like this before and he knew that the sales of the magazine had been unprecedented. Lively discussions on the pros and cons of matchmaking parties were present on TV shows and online, with references to his serialization frequent.

 

"...I might be blacklisted from matchmaking parties forever," he said wryly as Kotoko picked up his next draft.

 

Kotoko hid a smile. "I'd think if there really is a non-liar at the end of the story perfect for your main character, you'd be very popular at them."

 

"True," he said, recalling the people he'd seen there. Everyone he'd seen there wanted perfection-

 

"But then maybe the males would want someone like your main character, as long as they don't have any dark secrets."

 

"Ah, but she's special." And she really was, he thought, as he started writing again. 

_"Why is there a giant hole in the wall of your office?!" Actually, there seemed to be even more holes than yesterday, she noticed with alarm._

_"There's a hole there? I didn't notice that- maybe it's been there since I moved into this office," Toya said with the barest minimum of calmness._

_There's no way you could not notice that, she thought to herself._

_"If you don't like the ring, I'll get you a bigger diamond, better than this!"_

_"That's not the problem. The problem is YOU!"_

He chuckled as he wrote that. His little detective would never be dazzled enough by a proposal not to notice the warning signs.

***

 

September 2016

 

_Send in your drawings of Octokitty and the best one will win an autograph of Kagami Kazumi!_

 

Kazumi chuckled as Kotoko showed him another drawing, this time of a cat with a Takoyaki body. 

 

"What were you thinking when you thought of this imaginary character, Kazumi?! I can't deny it's made the magazine happy, but we need to find something that actually looks good." 

 

"I'm sure there'll be something there," he said, leaning back in his chair as he contemplated his next move.

 

"I'm not sure about that," Kotoko said wryly, looking at the next submission which featured a crying kitten with takoyaki eyes.

 

***

 

October 2016

 

_"It's Hazumi. I just got back from Paris for work, do you remember me?"_

 

This was his avatar's first appearance since the prologue. He knew people had been speculating that this character had not been part of the first four segments, maybe making such a character automatically guilty when he finally arrived in the story. Well, he'd have to do his best to make them confused. 

 

He had many plans for his character, for all that he'd leave soon enough- but for now, he'd make the innocent red herring clues of possibly - possibly! - being married like Kunio. 

 

***

 

November 2016

 

_"I can't believe you lied to me about that! You're married!"_

 

_"Yeah, I am. So what?"_

 

_"Why did you even attend a matchmaking party when you're married?!"_

 

_"To find women, of course. You were the best one there."_

 

He couldn't stop writing. Kotoko had been surprised that she hadn't needed to chase him down while he was working on this serialization... He really couldn't stop writing, not when his main character was still untangling all the lies of the men she'd met so far. Already she'd managed to find out the lie of four men, and was now working on the fifth...

 

His beautiful, feisty main character who has been looking for love from a group of potential liars. Not willing to fall head over heels, carefully noting each and every statement her suitors made, making sure to call them out on lies when they spoke of it.

 

_It's too bad there's no one like her at all the matchmaking parties I've attended for this._

 

He'd been careful in writing, making sure to flesh out all the guys and show their personalities, make them all look attractive on the surface. Shuto, who was revealed to have a complex. Toya, who had anger management issues... Joe, obsessed with someone...

 

Each month the number of readers writing in with their votes grew and in truth this had been his most popular serial. He'd seen the forums-

 

_I can't believe Joe was so creepy!_

_I really thought Itaru was a goner that time._

_I was in love with Toya until I read about those - those holes in his wall-_

_I wish I was as assertive as the main character._

_I'm crossing my fingers for Haruichi! He's perfect!_

_I'm so glad Haruichi did not have the mother complex!_

 

He smiled. It was time to start the next segment. This time his own character would have a much different possible motivation-

 

***

 

Later, November 2016

 

"Could Hazumi be... homeless?"

 

He laughed as he penned that line. He was enjoying the more varied possible lies he'd given his remaining possible liars... especially the ones he had. Let's have the last one be good, because he knew that his avatar was next on the chopping block.

 

Online, people had started talking about the latest update.

 

_Surely it can't be Hazumi. What kind of lie when he's so famous-_

_Maybe he's squandered it all-_

_The lie is so ludicrous that it must be true!_

 

Kotoko smiled as she saw him laughing as she entered his study. "I've not seen you laugh so much writing any other novel, Kazumi."

 

"I've not enjoyed writing a story like this in a long time," he said genuinely.

 

***

 

January 2017

 

It was time to dispatch the character inspired by him. A lie that was much milder compared to the others before him, but...

 

He sighed. He needed a break.

 

"I can't even give my fictional avatar a happy ending," he said self-depreciatingly. He hadn't exactly planned out the order of the liars in his head and only wrote as he wanted, but it was fitting to place his avatar nearer the end...

 

_"I can't be the man who will make you happy. But I know that man is out there and you'll find him and have a happy life together."_

 

He remembered his doctor's words. A surgery... with a small chance of success...

 

What would his main character want him to do...?

 

Maybe it was time to dare.

 

"Kotoko?"

 

"Yes?"

 

"I'm going to have a doctor's appointment."

 

Her eyes widened. "Kazumi..."

 

He shook his head. "Let's see what the doctor says first, but I may need to take a few weeks off."

 

She nodded. "It's in the contract you signed, so there won't be any issue. It'll be perfect timing for the extended contest that magazine has been planning for a while now." She smiled. "If they mail in the stubs in the magazines from the start of the serialization and a self-stamped envelope, they'll get one of the short stories you wrote for the first seven liars and one of the ten limited edition bromides of the main character and her ten men-"

 

He smiled. "That's good. I don't think there'll be that many submissions, though."

 

Kotoko rolled her eyes. "Have you seen how much some of the issues are going for on the internet? People are buying them to make sure they can get the bromides- multiple bromides, even!"

 

He chuckled. "Really?"

 

"Yes, one just went for 6000 Yen!"

 

***

 

"It'll be fine, Kotoko" he said, his voice as reassuring as best he could make it. He was nervous, but his publisher was a wreck. For all that she'd been trying to convince him to have his surgery, now that he was about to have it she was wearing a hole in his hospital room floor with her pacing.

 

"I know it will be," she said as firmly as she could. "Remember, after you wake up, the next chapter is due next week."

 

He winced. "Aw, can't I have a break?"

 

"Just wake up and we'll see," she said soberly. "I'll haunt you if you don't and every reader will come with me. You had to end it when Azusa proposed-"

 

"Don't worry, I have plans of waking up and continuing." His smile grew fond. "Can't leave my main character hanging, especially when everyone's rooting for her to find the one who isn't lying."  _Especially since Azusa's secret is very much itching to be revealed._

 

"Yes, definitely."

 

***

 

April 2017

 

It was done. His main character had finally cut through the swath of liars and found her Mr. Right. He sighed after putting his pen down. She had been so vivid to him - she had been real in a way many of his previously written characters weren't.

 

"Too bad she isn't real, right?" He chuckled to himself. Even if she was real, if she found him she'd expose his lie immediately. His lie... well, that was gone now. It was thanks to her, perhaps.  To make sure he'd finish her story and maybe... maybe she'd given an old man like him hope.

 

For fun, maybe... maybe he could go to another matchmaking party. This time, for pleasure, perhaps?

 

***

 

He'd noticed her from across the room before the speed dating segment started. She'd exuded confidence and was utterly perfect in appearance. While other women in the room had also polished their exteriors to perfection, she seemed much more-

 

"Hi."

 

"Hi," he said, offering a smile. 

 

Her eyes widened. "But you are Kagami Kazumi?"

 

"It is so," he confirmed.

 

Her forehead furrowed. "...are you here for research, Kagami-san? Again?"

 

His eyebrows rose. "Is that what you think I'm here for?"

 

She nodded. "Why else would you be here? I did read your serialization."

 

"To meet you?"

 

She froze, a slight flush on her face, then shook her head decisively. "I'm really sure you're here for research."

 

He laughed. "Perhaps." 

 

_Maybe, maybe his perfectly imperfect girl was out there. Or right in front of him, even..._

 

_Maybe it's time to chase his happy ending._


End file.
